School Classifications

This year’s accountability system is in transition. This plan allows us to adjust our accountability system and begin to pivot to the new Every Student Succeeds Act(ESSA).

“As we continue our transition to PARCC assessments and to the Every Student Succeeds Act, we will have more and better information regarding student progress, closing achievement gaps, and school improvement,” said Education Commissioner Ken Wagner. “We are in the process of developing a new system for school classifications that will employ additional measures beyond state assessments. Improving outcomes for students is a responsibility we all share, and we encourage our school communities to review available data on student progress in order to support good teaching and learning.”

Substandard achievement in reading and math, unacceptable achievement gaps, and little or no academic progress in improving student achievement or increasing graduation rates

The lowest achievement in reading and mathematics, intolerable gaps in student performance and demonstrate little or no progress in improving student outcomes

No new schools identified; currently classified schools have the opportunity to exit if criteria are met.

Rhode Island’s Request for ESEA Flexibility

The new state accountability system comes out of a request for “flexibility” regarding some of the provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA - also known as No Child Left Behind or NCLB).